Vic, along with the rest of the group, immediately turned their attention to Billy after his outburst, the air in the cafeteria thickening with tension.


    "What''s up, Billy boy?" Vic asked casually, rising from his seat. His movements were rxed, his usual smirk ying on his lips as he stretched out his hand for a handshake, seemingly unfazed by the sudden hostility.


    Billy''s eyes narrowed. "Are you mocking me, man?" he hissed, refusing to acknowledge the hand stretched toward him, his jaw tight with frustration.


    Vic''s smile faltered slightly as he realized the handshake wasn''t happening. Slowly, he withdrew his hand, sliding it into his pocket with a shrug, trying to diffuse the situation. "I have no idea what you''re talking about, Billy boy," he said, his voice deliberately calm, yet carrying a hint of mockery beneath the surface.


    Billy''s lips twisted into a sneer. "Of course you don''t." His voice was low, but it dripped with venom, his eyes zing with contempt.


    Vic sighed, scratching the back of his head with feigned indifference. "Are you gonna tell me what''s up, or not? Because I''d really like to finish my food before I head to the ranking arena with my friends." His tone was dismissive, as if Billy''s anger was nothing more than an inconvenience.


    Billy''s face flushed with anger. "I''m talking about this weakling you just recruited!" He jabbed a finger in Ss''s direction. Ss sat there, silent and still, seemingly uninterested in the brewing confrontation, his focus entirely on his meal even though he wasn''t eating it.


    Vic raised an eyebrow, ncing at Ss briefly before turning back to Billy. "You mean Ss?" he asked, his tone t. "He''s just a friend, man."


    Billy''s voice rose, reverberating through the cafeteria and drawing the attention of nearly every student in the room. "You think because you''re top of the leaderboard, you can recruit weaklings to your group and still stay number one? You think we won''t notice? You just want to make the rest of us look bad!"


    A murmur spread through the cafeteria as students began to whisper, casting nces at Vic and Ss. Vic rolled his eyes, his patience clearly wearing thin. "That wasn''t my intention at all. Ss is just my friend, nothing more," he repeated, his voice calm but with an edge to it now, as if the conversation had finally be tiresome.


    Billy let out a sharpugh, the sound harsh and filled with bitterness. "A grade 4 making friends with a nobody? A guy with no mutant ability? Don''t make meugh." The disbelief in Billy''s voice was evident, as if the idea was so absurd it pained him to even consider it.


    Vic exhaled slowly, his hand hovering over his te as he considered his next words. "Look, Billy boy, you''re free to believe whatever nonsense you want. It really doesn''t matter to me. Now, can I please just finish my damn food?" His voice had grown colder, and without waiting for a reply, he turned away, walking back to his seat.


    Billy''s eyes zed as he clenched his fists. "You better watch your back, Vic. You''re ying with fire, and one day you''ll get burned!" he spat before turning on his heel, storming out of the cafeteria with his group of followers trailing behind him.


    Ivy, who had been watching the exchange with a bored expression, finally spoke up. "What was that all about?" Her eyes flicked back to Billy''s retreating form, her brow furrowing slightly.


    Vic shrugged, shoving another piece of bread into his mouth. "He''s mad ''cause his top boys got their asses handed to them by the Ghost Ranger, who—surprise, surprise—has no mutant ability. Meanwhile, I ranked up, and his whole crew went down." He smirked, clearly enjoying Billy''s frustration.


    Ivy scoffed, picking at her food. "Serves him right. It''s not our fault his guys are a bunch of weaklings. Just proves they can''t fight without relying on their powers." She clicked her tongue, her eyes glinting with disdain.


    Vic grinned. "Exactly. Couldn''t have said it better myself," he muttered, continuing to stuff his mouth with food as if the confrontation had never happened.


    A few minutester, the group finished their meal and made their way out of the cafeteria. The chatter of students and the clinking of tes faded behind them as they stepped into the hallway, the cool air greeting them. As they strolled down the corridor, Vic''s eyes widened in sudden recognition.


    "Oh, shit. Is that Mrs. Kara?" His voice dropped to a whisper, his steps faltering slightly. "How do I look, guys? Dashing?" He quickly straightened his shirt and ruffled his hair, trying to lookposed as Kara approached.


    Ivy rolled her eyes. "Rx, Vic. You might be the best-looking guy in the academy, but let''s be real—she''s never gonna notice you." Her tone was blunt, and Vic shot her a wounded look.


    As Kara reached them, Vic stepped forward with a bright smile. "Good morning, Mrs. Kara," he said, his voice dripping with charm.


    But Kara barely spared him a nce. Her focus was entirely on Ss. Without a word, she grabbed Ss by the arm and started pulling him away, her grip firm, her face set with purpose.


    Ss barely turned his head as he called back to the group. "You guys go ahead. I''ll catch upter."


    Angelica, looking slightly worried, called after him. "Is everything okay, Ss?"


    Ss gave a small nod. "Yeah, all good. Go on without me. I''ll meet youter."


    The group stood in silence, watching as Kara led Ss down the hall and out of sight.


    "You don''t think… they''re a couple, do you?" Vic muttered, eyes still wide in disbelief.


    "Oh my God, you''re an idiot, Vic," Ivy groaned, pping the back of his head as they began walking again.


    "Ouch! Am I wrong, though?" Vicined, rubbing the back of his head. "Didn''t you see how she grabbed his arm? Man, he''s lucky. If Kara ever touched me like that, I''d be in heaven right now," he added, a dreamy expression crossing his face as they exited the building and headed towards the ranking arena.


    Meanwhile, Kara had led Ss to the rooftop of the academy, where they werepletely alone. She shut the door behind them with a soft click, her eyes narrowing as she turned to face him.


    "What exactly happened in Sir Dominic''s office?" she asked, her voice low but firm, cutting through the silence like a de.


    Ss blinked, caught off guard by the directness of the question. "How did I do what?" he asked, his face betraying his confusion.


    "Mary is a grade 4 mind reader," Kara said, her tone sharp. "But somehow, she couldn''t tell you were lying. I want to know what you did."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Ss hesitated for only a moment before answering. "I found a way to block her from using her mind-reading ability on me."


    Kara''s eyes darkened with curiosity. "How? How could you block a grade 4 mind reader?"


    "I don''t know... I just did. It worked," Ss replied, his voice steady.


    For a long moment, Kara said nothing, her gaze locked on him, studying him as if trying to read his very soul.


    "Just how many things are you capable of, Ss Griswold?" she murmured, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "I can feel it. Your aura—it''s stronger than thest time we spoke. It''s like you''re growing more powerful by the second. Are you sure you''re telling me everything? Because if you want me to help you keep this secret, I need to know every detail."


    Ss remained silent, his mind racing. He had never told her about the system or his level-ups. She didn''t need to know that—at least not yet. She already knew enough. One day, if he trusted herpletely, maybe he''d tell her. But for now, it was safer to keep that part hidden.


    "I''m not hiding anything from you," Ss said finally, his voice calm. "Can I go now? I have somewhere I need to be."


    Kara tilted her head slightly. "Where?"


    "The same ce you took me yesterday. The ranking arena," Ss answered.


    Kara stared at him for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright. But be careful. Don''t reveal too much, and don''t let anyone find out you''re the Ghost Ranger."


    Ss nodded in acknowledgment before walking away, leaving her alone on the rooftop.


    He moved swiftly through the academy grounds, slipping into the ranking arena through the back door to avoid being seen by his group. Once inside, he headed straight for the ranking system, his fingers moving quickly over the keys as he logged into his Ghost Ranger ount.


    **(Ghost Ranger is now online).**